Rachel Brosnahan is a Hostess at Heart

Just as the second season of the breakout comedy-drama series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel returns to Amazon, the show’s hilarious star Rachel Brosnahan is busy preparing for the holiday season. This year, Brosnahan won both the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy and the Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show. Needless to say, the actress has a ton to celebrate as the year winds down.

The holiday season has become pretty synonymous with holiday parties, starting with Thanksgiving celebrations continuing on to New Year’s Eve and even New Year parties in January. Brosnahan recently attended the American Express Cash Magnet Simplify Holiday Hosting Supper to share her tips for the holiday season, no matter if you’re attending a party or hosting one. “My schedule has been an ever-evolving beast over the last couple of years, forcing me to simplify my holiday planning and live in the moment a bit more,” Brosnahan admits. “I like to keep it pretty simple and focus on company and conversation.”

Brosnahan added that the American Express Cash Magnet card helps her to keep holiday hosting super simple because you earn 1.5% cash back on literally all purchases, from board games to libations to twinkling holiday lights. Though Brosnahan says in general, hosting can be somewhat intimidating, she still prefers to be the hostess. “I like having people in my space and I like taking care of other people. I like making connections between people and introducing people who may not know each other,” she says. One way Brosnahan ensures her parties are successful is by curating a stellar playlist for a gathering. “Great music can become a topic of conversation and it can distract from conversation. It looses everyone up and breaks the ice,” she says.

Of her most memorable holiday events, Brosnahan recalls hosting nine of her family members at her apartment for Thanksgiving, and despite her apartment being under construction, she says the imperfections aided to an unforgettable evening. “It became a real group effort and it was lovely. The spirit was high even though the space wasn’t perfect,” she describes. “It was a good reminder that not everything had to go 100% according to plan to have a good party.”

In general, keeping the décor, food and drinks simple will help keep the host less stressed and in the end, will put your guests at ease, which is always Brosnahan’s main goal. “I want my guests to feel comfortable and at home, even if they are away from home.” From hosting brunches for her tight-knit group of friends to a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner, Brosnahan recommends keeping things simple, no matter your role. Her last tip is for the guests of parties, because you can’t always be the host. “You can’t really go wrong with alcohol or dessert. Those are my go-to gifts to bring.” She continues to recall her favorite thing a guest has brought to something she hosted: a succulent. “Someone brought me a plant that is difficult to kill. It made me think about that person every time I saw it or watered it. And it lasts for a long time.”

To see more holiday tips and tricks from Rachel Brosnahan, including her family’s recipe for their delicious Cheese Mound recipe that they make every holiday season.